A Southerner at Heart: Life's Journey - Vancouver, British Columbia

As I have noted before – I have a bucket list. One of the items on my list was to visit Whistler.

Why Whistler? I have always felt an incredible bond with mountains…preferably tall, glorious, covered with snow type of mountains. Several years ago I traveled to Calgary-Banff-Lake Louise and was just overwhelmed with the beauty of the Canadian Rockies. While spreading the “news” about the Alberta area and how EVERYONE should go there once in their life – I was told that I needed to visit Vancouver in British Columbia.

As some of you know – I feast on the Travel Channel every chance I get. I was able to watch several programs on the Vancouver area and fell in love with this part of the country site unseen! I knew within my heart and soul that I was meant to travel there.

This past March I had an opportunity to travel to Vancouver on business. Folks – I was just a mere hour away from Whistler…my #1 bucket list entry! I had to find a way and find a way I did. We were able to finish up our business a day early and had a free day to travel north to Whistler (big thanks to my manager Phyllis who made this happen).

I am not sure what I expected – I mean – I knew it would be beautiful but I felt moved to tears with the scenery, with the lakes, the beckoning mountains. I felt like I had come home…this was a place that I knew that I could find my creative soul…I could write, I could sit and I wanted to sit and play the piano for hours, I could just sit and absorb the glorious mountains and lakes on either side of the road that I was traveling on.

When I reached Whistler – I was NOT disappointed although it was very commercialized – thank you Winter Olympics! The snow was falling at a rapid pace – and I will admit – I was a kid playing in the snow…I stuck my tongue out and caught snowflakes on my tongue! I heard the crunch of the snow beneath my feet and the fragrances of the winter enveloped me totally.

I felt renewed with this trip and while I can mark it off my bucket list I know that I will some day return…for Vancouver will romance us all with it incredible beauty and serenity.